Friday, May 25, 2012

Friday May 25, 2012

DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER
It's no secret law enforcement will be out in full force this weekend and all summer in an effort to keep drunk drivers off the roads. In Eagle County they're rolling out the national "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign. The Gore Range DUI Task Force says the campaign has been responsible for a 20% drop in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, but still work to be done since on average there is still one alcohol-related fatality every 51 minutes across the country.

URAVAN AGREEMENT
Montrose County and UMETCO Mineral Corporation are getting ready to party after the signing of an agreement transferring control of property near Uravan from UMETCO/DOW Chemical to the county. The deal goes back to 1988 and the formal agreement provides for upgrades to the town by the companies and the county in time for the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Town of Uravan.

PRIMARY PARTY AFFILIATION
Today is the last day to switch parties if you want to vote in a county primary. The election is June 26th, and if you want to change parties, you have to do that today. If you are an unaffiliated voter and want to vote in the primary, you can declare a party at the poll. If you're not registered or inactive, Tuesday is the deadline to register for the primary.

TODDLER DEATH ARREST

Jared Lee Keel, DOB 05/09/86

A Grand Junction man has been arrested in the death of a 19 month old boy in Montrose last month. Justin Keel was arrested last night in New Mexico on a warrant out of Mesa County. Mesa County Sheriff's spokeswoman Heather Benjamin says Keel faces one count of child abuse resulting in death. Benjamin says Owen Daniel Reak, the son of Keel's girlfriend, suffered what authorities say was non-accidental blunt force trauma in Grand Junction and died in Montrose County.

GARCO MANAGER
Garfield County finally has a new County Manager. 47 year old Andrew Gorgey was the county attorney and took the new position after a unanimous vote by the county commissioners. Gorgey has been the acting County Manager since the commissioners fired former manager Ed Green in January.

WHITE HALL FUTURE
The City of Grand Junction is waiting for the transfer of a deed and plans demolition of the burned out White Hall. KJCT says the exact use for the property is still up in the air and the Downtown Development Authority has signed on to help. They say some of the structure is still viable and that could help with financing and redevlopment. The former church burned in a huge fire last September.

BEAR SIGHTINGS
Camping in tents is out of the question at the Aspen Campground, a few miles out of the town. Forest officials say multiple bear sightings are the reason. No tents or fabric trailers or campers are being allowed.

ROSS REELS AGREEMENT
City officials in Montrose have signed off on a deal to keep Ross Reels in town for at least the next 5 years. City Manager Bill Bell tells teh Montrose Daily Press it's a win-win for the company and the city and county. The agreement calls for national marketing of Ross Reels, the leading fly reel manufacturer in the country, with Montrose featured in that promotion.

COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE
The Governor's Energy Office is no more. A Bill changing its name to the Colorado Energy Office has been signed into law, moving the mission of the Office to promoting responosible traditional and renewable energy development across the state. The idea is to throw out current failing strategies and replacing them with more effective and efficient energy policies.